Load handling apparatus



Dec. 23, 1969 I. LUNDQUIST LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS- 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fiied Jan 22, 1968 INVENTOR IVAN LUNDQUIST ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1968 INVENTOR lVAN LUNDQUIST ATTORNEY n 23. was

Filed Jan. 22, 1968 0 FIG. 3

l. LUNDQUIST LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR IVAN LUNDQUIST ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,485,396 LOAD HANDLING APPARATUS Ivan Lundquist, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Clark Equipment Company, a corporation of Michigan. Filed Jan. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 699,385 Int. Cl. B66c'1/28, 3/04 I US. Cl. 214-147 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE support member to achieve additional reach.

Background of the invention In a load handling apparatus for logs and the like it is desirable in order to achieve maximum flexibility and usefulness that the apparatus have as great a range as possible, that is, that it be able to reach out as far as possible for loading and unloading, and also that it be possible to reach up as far aspossible for loading and unloading. The object of the present invention isto provide a load handling apparatus embodied as a part of the vehicle which, while it may be retracted to a minimum length for transport, can also be extended farther outwardly and upwardly for loading and unloading than other similar load handling apparatus previously known.

Summary of the invention In carrying out this invention in one form thereof I provide a load handling apparatus for a vehicle which includes a vertically disposed support member which is connected at the outer end of a boom arm that in turn is pivotally mounted on the vehicle body. The boom arm is movable vertically to raise and lower the support member. Linkage and operating means are connected between the vehicle body and the support member for pivoting the upper portion of the support member horizontally away from and toward the vehicle. A grapple device having two pivotally connected clamp members is mounted near the top of the upper portion of the support member, one of the clamp members being pivotally connected to the support member, and power means are provided between the support member and the said one clamp member for moving the grapple device to and away from the support member.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a vehicle embodying the load handling apparatus of the present invention, with the latter apparatus in the retracted and closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view the same as FIG. 1 except with the load handling apparatus moved outwardly and downwardly to a ground level position;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side elevational view of the vehicle showing the load handling apparatus in the raised, extended and open position; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the grapple and support portion of the load handling apparatus.

Description of the preferred embodiment The numeral on the drawing designates generally a load handling apparatus in accordance with this invention, and as described and illustrated herein it is mounted on and forms a part of a vehicle indicated generally by the numeral 22 which comprises a body portion indicated generally by the numeral 24 having a pair of front wheels 26 (only one of which is visible in the drawing) and a pair of rear wheels 28 (only one of which is visible in the drawing). The vehicle includes the usual operators station 30 which includes a seat 32, steering wheel 34 and the controls necessary for the operation of the vehicle and the load handling apparatus. Enclosed within the body portion is an engine or other prime mover which operates the vehicle and also in the form of the invention illustrated the engine operates a hydraulic pump which provides the power for operating the load handling apparatus described hereinafter.

The load handling apparatus 20 includes a vertically 1 disposed support member 1 which is pivotally connected at 2 to a boom arm 36. It will be appreciated that the boom arm actually is in two parts, one part adjacent one side of the body and the other adjacent the other side, in the form of the invention illustrated, and the support member 1 as indicated in FIG. 4 of the drawing is also of considerable width and is connected to the boom arm at two locations adjacent the two sides of the apparatus. The boom arm 36 is pivoted at 38 on the body of the vehicle. The boom arm 36 is raised and lowered by means of hydraulic actuators 40 (there being one on each side of the vehicle in this case) which are remotely controlled from the operators station on the vehicle. While the boom arm is shown in the lowered position in FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 3 shows the actuators 40 extended and the boom arm in the maximum raised position.

The vertical support structure 1 is pivotally connected at 3 to a link 42 which in turn is connected to a lever 44 pivotally mounted on the boom arm. At the other end of the lever 44 another hydraulic actuator 46 is provided, connected between the lever and the body portion of the vehicle. Actuator 46 is shown in FIG. 1 in the extended position which is the maximum retracted position of the load handling apparatus. In FIG. 2 actuator 46 has been contracted partially and this, through the lever 44 and link 42, has pivoted support 1 counterclockwise to the position indicated. In FIG. 3 actuator 46 has been fully retracted and this has caused maximum pivoting and extension of support member 1 as indicated in FIG. 3. It will be appreciated again that in the embodiment of the invention illustrated there are two each of links 42, levers 44 and actuators 46, one adjacent each side of the machine, although only one of each is visible in the side elevations of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The load handling apparatus 20 includes a grapple device indicated generally by the numeral 48, comprising a clamp member 5 which is pivotally connected at 11 to another clamp member 10. The clamp member 5 also is pivotally mounted on support member 1 about axis 6 and clamp member 5 may be moved pivotally away and toward support member 1 by means of a hydraulic actuator 7 which is connected between members 1 and 5 and is remotely controlled by the vehicle operator. As best seen in FIG. 4, actuator 7 is located centrally (laterally) of the apparatus. In FIGS. 1 and 2, clamp member 5 is fully retracted toward support 1, while in FIG. 3 it is fully'extended.

The grapple device 48 is operated by means of a pair of hydraulic actuators indicated by the: numeral 50, adjacent the sides of the apparatus, which are pivotally connected at 17 to a triangular power transfer member 15 which is pivoted at 16 on clamp member 5. Link 12 is pivotally connected between point 19 on the power transfer member 15 and pivot point 13 on clamp 10. The extension of actuators 50 thus causes clamp member 10 to close to the position indicated in FIG. 1 and in the solid line position of FIG. 2. When actuators 50 are retracted the clamp member 10 opens to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and also in the dashed line position of FIG. 2. The numerals 4 indicate transverse brace members for both the clamp members 5 and 10 of the grapple device 48.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that this load handling apparatus provides basically for four operations which can be carried out singly or simultaneously in any desired combination. The support structure 1 may be raised and lowered by means of the boom arm 36. It may be pivoted outwardly and inwardly by means of the linkage comprising link 42 and lever 44. The clamp member 5 may be pivoted outwardly and inwardly with respect to support member 1 by means of actuator 7. The

grapple may be opened and closed by means of actuators As an example of an operation which can be performed by this load handling attachment, assume that a bundle of timber is to be picked up from the surface of the bed of a truck. The grapple 48 is moved to the open position and the support member 1 is manipulated to suitable height and projecting position so that the lower tip of the clamp member 5 is brought into suitable relation to the load which is to be picked up. Thereafter, the lower tip of the clamp 5 is pressed between the timbers in the bundle of timbers, for example, by manipulating the actuator 7 and the clamp member 10 is pivoted downwardly in order to clamp the load comprising a bundle of timber between it and clamp member 5. All of the bundle of timber caught up in this manner is now lifted up by means of corresponding movement of the boom arm 36 and the entire load handling apparatus with the load carried thereon is lowered and retracted toward the vehicle to a suitable load carrying position as illustrated in FIG. 1 after which the vehicle is driven to the desired unloading point where the load at the desired level is unloaded by opening the clamp member 10 a sufficient amount in order that the pieces of timber may be pushed out from the inclined surface of the clamp member 5. This entire operation is carried out in a very simple manner and while maintaining the desired height at all times.

While I have described and illustrated my invention in a preferred form in accordance with the statute, it will be readily understood that it is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated herein. Modifications may be made in my invention, and it should be understood that I intend to cover all such modifications which wall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. Load handling apparatus for a vehicle which comprises, a vertically disposed support member, a boom arm pivotally mounted on the vehicle and carrying said support member, the said boom arm being movable vertically to raise and lower the said support member, means connected between the vehicle and the said support member for pivoting the upper portion of the said support member horizintally away from and toward the vehicle, a grapple device having two pivotally connected downwardly disposed clamp members, power operating means being provided for moving the said clamp members toward and away from each other comprising at least one vertically disposed hydraulic actuator mounted on said one clamp member, said hydraulic actuator being connected through a pivoted power transfer member and a horizontally disposed link to the other clamp member, one of said clamp members pivotally connected near the top thereof to the said upper portion of the support member, and power means connected between said support member and the said one clamp member for pivotally moving such one clamp member horizontally away from and toward the support member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,234- 3/1964 Gustine 214-147 X 3,227,297 1/1966 Kampert 214147 3,352,442 11/1967 Magnuson 214-147 X GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 29488 

